


Is It Normal for Best Friends?

by Miss_Nightmare



Category: Linkin Park
Genre: M/M, bennoda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 12:27:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11646546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Nightmare/pseuds/Miss_Nightmare
Summary: It’s just one of those days, Mike assumes - one where everything about him seems fucking perfect. Then again, when was there a day when he didn't seem perfect?





	Is It Normal for Best Friends?

Mike and Chester are having lunch picnic style on campus like always. Mike looks around at all the students surrounding them, and then at Chester and thinks to himself;

Is it normal for him to be looking at his best friend the way he is?

Chester is lying on his stomach, burying his face in a large book while devouring his second sandwich. His blond hair is shining brightly in the sunlight, it's catching the sunlight rays perfectly in order to make him look even more angelic than he usually does. His legs look amazing in the jeans he's wearing - they're tight in all the right places. Of course, this is only Mike's opinion, and he's wondering if he should even have this thought. Or if it's like - wrong or something.

It’s just one of those days, Mike assumes - one where everything about him seems fucking perfect. Then again, when was there a day when he didn't seem perfect? Does he even have a flaw? Sometimes Mike wonders if he does. He's searched for one, but it's like searching for a needle in a haystack. You know it's there, but it's hard to find, and even if you do find it - it's going to take years.

He notices, once again, that Chester is reading his book upside down. Now, Mike has made this observation on several occasions, 5 or 6 probably, and never brought it up. He decides that now is the time to bring it up.

"What are you reading?" Mike asks.

Chester doesn't break his gaze at the book before answering, as if having his words already scripted.

"The Life and Times of Albert Einstein," he says, taking a bite of his sandwich after he does. 

Mike huffs.

"Why are you reading it upside down?"

Chester pauses chewing and slowly flips the book around, before giving Mike a look. 

"What? Don't give me that look - you're the one who was 'reading' upside down. Dude, this isn't even the first time I've caught you doing it, either," Mike says, accusingly.

"So? Okay, I'm sorry I have my damn book upside down sometimes - big deal," he snaps. Mike chuckles.

"You're getting defensive, why is that?" Mike asks, smirking. 

The real reason Mike cares so much is that he has a theory. He thinks that maybe the reason Chester isn't paying attention to a damn thing during their alone time is because he's just as obsessed with Mike as Mike is to him. But it's only a theory until he finds a way to prove it, and he decides he's waited long enough - he's going to find out today.

Chester finally looks up from the book he isn't even reading and looks at him directly for the first time since they sat down to eat. 

"What the hell, dude? I am not getting defensive!" He snaps.

"Okay, then, what kind of sandwich are you eating – AND DON'T LOOK!" Mike shouts, crossing his arms.

Chester gives him a look of complete confusion.

"What are you even talking about? The type of sandwich I'm eating-"

"Yes, Chaz, what are you eating?"

Mike is determined to get it out of him - no matter how difficult Chester makes it.

"Um, peanut butter and jelly? Obviously-"

"WRONG!" Mike practically screams. "It's tomato! See, I told you!"

"Told me what? What the fuck am I missing here, Mike?"

"Dude, you aren't paying attention to a damn thing! You're in like, La La Land or some shit."

Chester sits up and throws his book aside.

"So?"

"My point is, it's because I'm around, isn't it? Just admit it!"

"Admit what? What are you wanting me to admit?" he asks incredulously.

"That you like me!"

Chester laughs at this and then glares at his friend.

"Oh, okay, so you treat me like shit and then expect me to tell you that I like you? Okay, Mike, you have truly gone crazy. That's it, I'm done talking to you until you say you're sorry."

"Wait, what? Sorry for what? I didn't do anything! I'm just saying that you like me and you won't admit it. You like me A LOT. And the fact that you can think straight all the time EXCEPT when we're alone is a dead giveaway that you are, in fact, infatuated with me."

Chester crosses his arms and looks straight ahead - apparently choosing to act like a child and flat out ignore every word Mike said.

"What, you expect me to say I'm sorry? Sorry for pointing out the facts? The honest truth? Dude, all I did was point out how you were reading your book, and then I asked you a simple question about your meal and now you're freaking out. Okay, so what is this?"

Nothing except a small smirk from him. Mike groans.

"You are acting like a BABY, Chaz. Come on, talk to me."

He doesn't move.

"Oh, fuck it, come on, we've got to get to class anyways," Mike says, standing up and starting to gather their things, including Chester's never read book. "Come on, MOVE!" he grunts, tugging on the picnic blanket that Chester is sitting on top of. 

He doesn't make any sort of effort to help, only sits there and ignores him, just like he claimed he would.

"You know what? Fine. Be that way. But you're gonna be late for class if you don't get your ass up."

…

"That's it, I'm not waiting on you. It's 1:28 and I've got to run like hell to get there anyways, so you're on your own, buddy. Have fun ignoring me," Mike snaps, trudging away towards Foreign Government with a scowl.

***

He makes his way back to where he last saw Chester after class, fully expecting to see him gone, but instead comes to find him in the same place, in the same goddamned arms-crossed position.

"Are you seriously going to stay here until I say sorry for nothing?" Mike asks, throwing his heavy as fuck backpack on the ground next to his friend. "Because if you are, you're going to starve to death first, because I'm not giving in. There is no way in hell I'm going to apologize for doing absolutely nothing but stating the facts!" he exclaims, sitting down next to him. He hears Chester's stomach growl as he does, and he gets a wonderfully evil idea. He grabs his backpack and rummages for a moment before pulling out a large bag of M&Ms.

"Man, I'm starved," he says dramatically before shoving several candies into his mouth. "Want some?" he asks with a huge smirk.

Chester scowls, but doesn't respond. 

Another stomach growl, and Mike chuckles.

"Shame you don't want any of your favorite candy, dude. It'd probably help that hunger problem of yours."

"HEY GUYS!" Joe exclaims, rushing up to the two of them. "Hey, are those M&Ms?"

"Yeah, want some?" Mike asks, happily sharing some with his friend, especially loving the fact it would bring Chester even closer to giving in.

"Hell yeah, man! So, how was Government? I heard Mr. Green threw out a surprise pop quiz," he says, sitting down in front of the two of them.

"Yeah, it was easy. Aced it," Mike replies in a bored tone. "More M&Ms?"

"Yes, please. Man, I just got out of Physiology and let me tell you - this shit is going over my head dude. I might have to flunk this one too."

"Hey, can I have some of those, Joe?" Chester asks, and Joe happily pours his handful into Chester's.

Mike knocks Chester's hand so that the candy falls onto the ground.

"ARGH!" Chester grunts, about to glare over at Mike, but corrects himself at the last moment and instead glares at the ground as he picks up the tiny pieces of chocolate.

"What in the world is going on here?" Joe asks, looking between the two of them like they were crazy (which, in all honesty, they are). "Why did you do that, dude?"

"Look, Joe, you don't understand. He's ignoring me right now because I won't say sorry for nothing!"

"Um, Chester, why-"

"He DID do something," he retorts, looking up at Joe from the rainbow speckled grass. "He started pointing out a bunch of stupid shit about me and is now being a whiny bitch because I won't say I like him. Like, what the hell is he even thinking?"

"You want to know what I think?" Joe asks the two of them, and they both nod. "I think you're both fucking insane," he laughs, grabbing the full bag of M&Ms from Mike. 

"Thank you, Mr. Hahn, you have solved the mystery of who is right," Mike says, rolling his eyes. "So, Chester, are you going to come back to the apartment or are you determined to be a child all night long?"

Chester is silent.

"Dude, why don't you just tell him you're sorry? Even if you don't mean it, at least he will get up," Joe says, handing the bag of candy to Mike. "Either way, I gotta go - I've got a bus to catch. See you guys later. I hope you kiss and make up before tomorrow."

Chester audibly laughs.

"As if I'd ever kiss him," he says, situating himself in a more comfortable position on the picnic blanket. 

Mike has a sharp pain in his stomach when he says it. He's never thought of kissing Chester before, surprisingly, but hell, hearing him say he'd NEVER kiss Mike kind of hurts.

"Come on, man, I don't want to go home alone," Mike says, standing up and dusting off his jeans. "You know how creepy that place is to begin with, I don't like being there without you."

No response.

"Dammit, Chaz! Fine! Fine, I'm fucking sorry, okay? Forget I asked any of those stupid questions - forget it all! Just come home, alright?"

"Sure thing," he smirks, standing up and grabbing the blanket off the ground. "I'm glad you made the right decision."

"Shut up," Mike grunts, turning his back on his friend.

***

It's 1 AM in their apartment and Mike and Chester are sitting on the couch watching TV and devouring a bag of Cheetos. Chester is lying on his back, resting his feet on Mike's legs. 

This time, Mike is the one who isn't paying attention to anything.

Chester has the remote in hand and is lazily flipping through channels. They are sitting in silence, but it's a comfortable silence. Mike's not sure why he's having a hard time thinking about anything other than Chester right now. Why is he focusing on how his touch feels? On how much he likes having half of his body lean on him?

He wishes he could answer himself, but maybe he already has it figured out -

They're just really good friends.

Of course they are, they've known each other since high school and have been best friends since then. Why wouldn't he be close with him? It's completely normal.

But maybe, maybe the way he feels isn't normal. And he has to find out if Chester feels the same.

"Chaz?" Mike asks, breaking the silence for the first time in hours.

"Hm?"

"Do you, uh, remember what I asked you earlier today?"

"What - the type of sandwich I ate? It was tomato for your information -" he snaps.

"No, not that," Mike sighs, "the last question. The one you wouldn't answer."

"If I liked you?" He asks, glancing at his friend.

Mike nods.

"Of course I like you, idiot," he replies.

"Yes, I know you like me, but do you like me?" Mike asks again, with emphasis on the second like. He feels like a teenage girl.

"I mean, you're my best friend so, yeah," Chester replies, sitting upright beside him now. "Why wouldn't I? Is that what today has all been about? Are you worried I don't like you anymore or something?"

"No - it's," Mike stutters, fumbling with the words out of his mouth and in his mind. He's trying to think of a way to explain how he's feeling, and he grabs Chester's hand and intertwines their fingers. "Like this," he says finally, looking down for several moments before gathering up enough courage to actually look Chester in the eyes.

Shock, surprise, and - a smile?

"You're saying you like me more than a best friend does, then," Chester says, confirming.

Mike nods. Maybe it is more than best friends - the degree of liking him.

"I, I guess so. Unless you don't feel the same then no, I wasn't saying that."

Chester laughs, that deep, contagious laugh that he has that makes Mike's heart do that stupid somersault happy thing, and squeezes Mike's hand.

"I guess I might. I mean, is it normal for one to have thoughts about what kissing their best friend would feel like?"

"Uh… I don't know. But, if you ever wanna see what that feels like - just let me know-" Mike says, fumbling with the words before being interrupted by Chester's lips.

Honestly, Mike doesn't care what is normal - all he knew is that this feels right.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so upset about Chester's passing right now. I honestly haven't even been the same person since it happened. But, this doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing about him. He's going to live forever in my heart, and nothing can make his legacy leave. 
> 
> I hope everyone is doing okay out there - remember to take it one day at a time. We are all in this together, and we can get through this. 
> 
> He's an angel now, watching over us all.
> 
> <3


End file.
